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J. O. WOLFE. BACKING FOR ELEGTROTYPE 0R STEREOTYPE SHELLS.

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(No ModeL) NITED STATES JACOB o. WOLFE, on NEW roan, N. Y.

BACKING FOR ELECTROTYPE OR STEREOTYPE SHELLS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 447,627, dated March 3, 1891.

Application filed July 5, 1890. Serial No. 357,786. (lilo model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JACOB O. XVOLFE, of New York city, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Backing for Electrotype and Stereotype Shells, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to a base or backing for electrotype and stereotype shells, and has for its object to provide a device to which a shell may be conveniently attached or detached therefrom, as desired, whereby one base or backing may be utilized for printing matter contained upon any one of a number of shells; and the invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification in which similar figures and letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a central vertical section through one form of backing or base, the section-being taken on line 00 cc of Fig. 2. Fig.

1 2 is a bottom plan view of the base or backing. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section through a modified form of backing or base, the section being taken on the line y y of Fig. 4; and Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the modification illustrated in Fig. 3.

The base or backing illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 is rectangular in general contour and consists of a box-like metal shell 10, open at the top and bottom. The shell is adapted to contain a series of supporting-strips A,which strips extend transversely and longitudinally of the shell, being designated in the drawings as 11 and 12, and the said longitudinal and transverse strips are preferably connected one to the other in any suitable or approved manner. The united strips are ordinarily and preferably not attached to the shell; but the strips are of such length as to neatly fit within the shell, and the extremities of the longitudinal central strips at their upper edges are provided with a recess 13 to receive bosses 14:, secured to or forming a portion of the inner end faces of the shell, the said bosses limiting the upward movement of the strips in the shell; but the bosses may be otherwise located than at the ends, as at the sides, for instance, in which latter event the recesses 13 are produced in the extremities of the transverse strips, or other forms of stop devices may be substituted for the bosses if in practice it is found desirable, the object being to construct the body of the base or block in virtually two sectionsbe plain, ribbed, or otherwise surfaced, ac

cording to the method employed in attaching the shell thereto. The top plate 15 is preferably beveled upon its under side at the mar-'' gins, which beveled surfaceof the top plate is adapted to engage with corresponding beveled surfaces produced in the upper edge of the shell, the bevel in the shell being downward, and when the'top plate is fitted to the shell the engaging edges of the shell and plate form a neat joint. The height of the base or block of the shell is such that when an electrotype-shell is attached to the top plate 15 and the top plate is placed in position upon the body-shell the structure will be exactly type-high. The top plate is supported not only by. engaging with the bevel surface of the body-shell, but by resting upon the interior united strips A, and the top plate is secured to the strips A in any suitable or approved manner, one method being illustrated in Fig. 1, which consists in passing wire 16 or its equivalent downward through apertures produced in the top plate and also through apertures formed in certain of the strips A at or near their upper edges, the ends of the wire being twisted or otherwise united and that portion of the wire passing over the upper face of the top plate is countersunk.

In the form of the device shown in Figs. 3 and t two body-shells B and B are connected, and if the block is of the same size as the block shown in Fig. 2' each shell B and B would be'of about onehalf the dimensions of the block. Each shell B and B is formed from a single piece of metal bent to proper shape, and the inner side faces of the two shells are brought to an engagement and are firmly united by means of rivets 17, staples, or equivalent form of fastening devices. Each shell-section B and B is provided with independent removable lattice-work strips A, the said strips being of like construction to the strips A, illustrated in connection with the form of block shown in Fig. 2.

The top plate 15, adapted for attachment to the sectional body-shell, is provided with a groove upon its under face to receive the engaging edges of the sections, and the top plate may be attached to the sectional shells in like manner to the plate shown in Figs. 1 and 2, or may be soldered thereto as shown at b in Figs. 3 and 4.

The top plate may be made, at d preferably is made, of much thinner metal than the body-shell, and likewise preferably of a softer metal to promote fusion.

It is obvious that when a backing or base for electrotype-shells is constructed as above described one backing or base may have top plates containing different type-matter attached thereto, as occasion may demand, thus materially reducing the cost of electrotypeblocks, as the printer, publisher, or other person or firm using the block need not carry in stock so much cumbersome material as would otherwise be necessary, and the convenience is very great, as in stereotyped matter, forinstance, the stereotype-plates maybe attach ed as they are wanted for use to a backing or base of suitable size, and when no longer required the plates may be removed from the block or base and the said block be used for other matter, while the plate may be stored away in a small space.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. As an improved article of manufacture, an electrotype or stereotype block or base consisting of a body-shell provided with an interior lattice-work and a top plate detachably attached thereto adapted for the reception of the electrotype or stereotype shell, as and for the purpose specified.

2. A block or base for electrotype or stereotype shells, consisting of a body-shell, removable interior lattice-work supporting-strips, and a removable top plate adapted to receive the electrotype or stereotype shell, substantially as shown and described.

3. A block or base for electrotypc or stereotype shells, consisting of a body-shell open at the top and bottom, interior removable lattice-work supporting-strips'a top plate covering the upper portion of the body-shell and lattice strips and adapted for the reception of the clectrotype or stereotype shell, and connection between the top plate and the structure covered thereby, substantially as shown and described.

JACOB WOLFE. Witnesses:

O. F. GRIFFEN, GEO. F. 0LT. 

